Chapter Four
Rated: M for future mature scenes
(Merlassë)
The blackness of the cold water surrounded me – swirling in frenzy all around me. I was slowly falling down into the depths of its inky darkness, into the deepest bosom of the sea where I will lay forever, sleeping in its cold embrace. I looked up and saw that the light of the surface was far, far above me. I reached for that sparkling sunlight on the face of the water, but the light was growing dimmer and dimmer as I fell through the murky waters.
Falling deeper.
And deeper.
And deeper...
And when I thought I could fall no more, I was suddenly being raised up, up to the sparkling sunlight that now grew brighter as I rose. And then I was breaking through the surface, and the warmth of the sunlight was upon me. It was so warm, so warm on my skin, heating me through to my very core. There was a blinding light, a light that drew me back to the world of the living…
The sea tossed about in a tempest, its raging dark waters threatening to rise and spill over, swallowing up the rugged shoreline. All night long it raged, until near morning a sudden calm came over the sea, and it was as if the storm had never been.
Dawn broke over the eastern mountains, spreading across the wide plains of Beleriand. The rising sun painted the early morning sky with a sheen of white gold, entwined with the crimsons and scarlets of the sunrise that lined the receding clouds of the previous night's storm with the brightest silver.
The waves lapped upon the shore, its smooth sand glowing a pale gold, reflecting the light of the morning sun. Then from the waves there arose the figure of a woman who seemed to be made of the material of the sea itself, striding out of its depths mounted high on the crest of a wave. Her long hair fanned out behind her, reaching out in all directions across the surface of the water until it blended back into the fabric of the sea again. And in her arms she carried a slight figure of what appeared to be an elven girl, as she made her way slowly to shore.
Gently, lovingly, she laid the frail elleth upon the soft golden sand, brushing away a strand of fine, dark hair away from an ashen white face.
Lady Uinen looked upon the delicate countenance of the girl she had come to love as a sister. Merlassë, the Singer of the Water, beloved of Eru, and youngest of all the kin of the Ainur. She was lovely as the waters of the lakes of Arda, reflecting in it all the splendour of its beauty. And there she lay on the cool sand, a deathly cold upon her as if all the vibrant spirit within her had been drained until naught a whisper of life remained. Stroking a watery hand across the girl's pallid face, a tear came to the azure eyes of Lady Uinen.
She despaired at the recklessness of her volatile husband. Ossë had ever held her wife's friend in dislike and distrust, though they were so alike in their love of the shores of Middle Earth. Yet Ossë deemed the young Ainur to be weak and frail of mind. He did not understand her air of calmness and her love of peace, for Ossë delighted in violence and the rage of a storm-tossed sea he loved the most. Ever since the Maia of the Sea had tasted power in his service to Melkor, he has never forgotten it, though he serves Ulmo now.
But this was simply too much. To launch such an assault upon the person of another Ainur without even a due reason or cause, this was unforgivable. And not to mention on a being of such lesser power than him, with the embodiment of the young Ainur in the form of the elder children of Eru rendering her even more vulnerable than ever. In her present form, she was no different than any of the Eldalië. Lady Uinen guessed that this night's assault would have costed the young Ainur all her powers and her strength. At the moment, she was truly no more than one of the Eldar.
Lady Uinen sighed at the sight of the diminutive figure lying unmoving before her. For this most heinous crime upon the beloved friend of the Lord of the Waters, her husband would pay dearly. But now there was the issue of the girl to take care of. She could not be left in this fragile state upon the shore. Lady Uinen could not take her back to her mansions under the sea, for Merlassë had assumed the form of one of the Quendi and could not endure the long period of time under the water. In any case she would not risk further harm to the girl by her violent husband.
Just when Lady Uinen despaired of ever finding a way to give aid to the ailing girl, she spotted another figure lying not far away from them on the sand, leaning against the walls of the rocky cliffs by the sea. It was one of the Eldar, and probably one of Turgon's household, who, the Lady understood, were to be leaving for their hidden city that very day. His hair of flaxen gold, which was glinting in the early morning sunshine, contrasted sharply against the slate grey of the rock face on which he was leaning against, fast asleep.
Rising from her place beside the lifeless form of Merlassë, she stepped towards the sleeping edhel, her footsteps like small waves rolling upon the sand. Kneeling beside the golden haired elf, she whispered soft words into his ear, the sleeping elf stirring with her words but did not wake. Smiling to herself, Lady Uinen retreated back towards the water where she sat once again beside the unconscious girl.
"You will be in safe hands now, my friend." She told the slight figure softly. "I will leave you in his care."
Standing, Lady Uinen glided smoothly back into the waters of the sea. Before she disappeared as silently as she came, she turned and cast one last lingering glance upon the elleth upon the sand.
"May Eru protect and guide you, Merlassë Linneniel."
And then she was lost beneath the waves.
(Glorfindel)
I was dreaming.
In my dream I was walking the white shores of Nevrast again, the sand cool beneath my feet as I pressed on forward towards a destination I knew not of. Then in the distance I recognized the rugged rocky break in the shoreline and I came upon her once more. She was as lovely as she ever was and she stood as she did at the jut of the land the night I first met her. But this time the sea was in a raging storm and the thunder clouds gathered above while the wind blew about in a tempest, tossing the waves high into the stormy sky. And when I came to stand beside her on the tall rock jutting out to sea, battered by the dark waves like the bow of a lone elven boat caught out of safe port in a storm, I saw her eyes were troubled and a shadow lay over her fair brow.
I reached my hands out to comfort her, but then a strong gust of wind came blowing from the East and she was thrown up and cast into the sea, into the turbulent waves, while I could do naught but watch as she disappeared beneath the dark, raging waters.
I called her name in anguish, but nothing answered but the roar of the wind and the great wash of the giant waves breaking upon the shore.
But then a warm, gentle voice of a woman spoke to me, and though I knew not what she spoke, I felt comfort wash over me like waves on the sand. And in that moment I felt as if all I need do was reach beneath the surface of the dark water and she would be restored to me. I felt an overwhelming need to protect that slender figure of a girl that had stood so forlornly upon the lonely rock.
"Protect her and care for her, Glorfindel of the Noldor. Guard her from all harm."
I heard the sound of waves breaking on the shore, and felt coarseness of the grainy sand beneath me.
I opened my eyes and blinked in the bright light of the early morning sun.
Valar, where in Arda am I?
As my mind shook itself loose from the fetters of sleep, I registered the scene before me.
Of course, I am on the beaches a ways from the halls of Vinyamar. I must have fallen asleep on the beach last night, as I pondered sitting on the moonlit sand.
Then I remembered. We were to be moving to the Hidden City this morn!
Leaping up from where I had sat beneath the cliff face, I anxiously ran my fingers through my sleep tousled air. I will be missed at the house.
I stretched my stiff body from sleeping all night propped up by hard rock, breathing in the tangy scent of the morning air which smelt faintly of rain. Judging by the dampness of the sand, there had been a downpour the night before. Turning to run back to the great house, I suddenly caught a flash of white in the corner of my eye.
And then I saw a small figure lying in the sand, not far from me, seemingly wash ashore by the waves.
I cautiously approached the prone figure on the ground. I caught the glimpse of dark hair and a delicate white face, but as I drew closer I could make out the bloodless color of the lips and the deathly pale of the face. Drawing a sharp intake of breath, I quickly ran to the shoreline. Kneeling in the sand next to the slight figure, my heart gave a great tug. Valar! It was an elleth, and she looked close to death. Her dark wet hair fanned out about her, a few grains of sand clinging to its dampness. Her face was bloodless, deathly white and her eyes were closed in sleep. I quickly checked her neck for a pulse and for a moment I was afraid I could not find one. But then a small floundering pulse flitted under my fingers and I let out the breath I had unconsciously been holding.
Brushing away her damp hair from her face, I felt a flash of familiarity seeing her delicate features. Where had I seen her before? No, I couldn't have possibly seen her before. Where had she come from, this small slight elleth washed up drowned from the sea? Were there others? She may be one of Círdan's folk, from one of the elven ships unfortunate enough to be overwhelmed by the violence of a storm of Ossë. I looked up at the bright morning sky, it was clear and cloudless, but my elven eyes could make out a wisp of dark storm clouds on the far horizon. There had been a storm the evening before, which I had probably slept through, sheltered by the cliff walls, though it did give some explanation to my troubled dreams of the night.
Sighing, I carefully gathered the slender figure into my arms. I must be getting back to the House and I could not possibly leave her here. She weighed so little, I may as well have been holding air. I rose up from where I knelt in the sand and quickly made my way back to the halls of Vinyamar by the sea.
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Standing at the window of Turgon's council chambers, I watched the procession passing below me as they made their way slowly out of the city.
"We are leaving in a few moments, my friend."
I turned to see my Lord and King standing behind me, dressed in the sombre grey of his travel clothes. A dark blue mantle was thrown over his shoulders, held by a golden brooch emblazoned with the emblem of his house: the sun, the moon, and the heart of the house of Fingolfin. I was still in the light tunic and leggings I had worn the previous night.
"You may want to change into something more suitable, Glorfindel." He said, noting my appearance, a small smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth. Sighing, I nodded and fell silent again, looking sullenly out the window.
The night spent beneath the cliff with naught but the hard rocks as a pillow had left me somewhat dishevelled. I was still disturbed by the troubling dreams of the night and the sight of the half-drowned elleth that I had found washed ashore that morning.
That was the troubling thought, because I instinctively had the impression that she was not washed ashore at all. She was lying quite a distance away from the water; her dark hair smoothed back from her face and scarcely riled by the wind, her blue-white dress unblemished though damp and the sand barely clinging to it. It seemed like she had been carefully and gently placed onto the sand, hardly seeming a candidate for one who had been washed ashore by the stormy sea.
And yet, who could have just left her there? If she had truly been found floundering and rescued from the sea, why would she be left on the beach in such a dire condition? Unless the one who rescued her had been unable to give her aid, so they left her where she could be easily found… by me…
"How fares the girl?" Turgon asked quietly, after being unable to elicit further response from me. I realized I had been staring listlessly out the window and jerked out my thoughts. Returning to Vinyamar that morning with the elleth in my arms, I had left her at the infirmary with an experience healer that I knew well personally. He had immediately tended to her and insisted I return to my chamber to make ready for our long march.
"She has not yet awakened." I replied, "She has drunk a great deal of seawater, and she is very weak. She would not have lasted another day out there alone." Turgon nodded at my words.
Sighing, he said, "I have sent word to Círdan the Shipwright, inquiring if they had lost any ships to the storm last night. We shall find out if the elleth has any family among his people and return her there, ere we arrive at the Hidden City."
He had moved to stand by my side, following my eyes as I traced the train of people winding out of the city.
"And if she is not of Círdan's people?" I questioned, my earlier thoughts nudging at the back of my mind of the unnaturalness of it all. I had a fleeting notion that Turgon would find no word of her among Círdan's people.
A small frown flashed across Turgon's face, and he replied, "Then we shall have to take her with us, though I am greatly reluctant to do that. That would condemn her to abide with us forevermore. I cannot allow any to leave the Hidden City once we have entered it- there is too great a risk of discovery."
At this he walked across the room to take his gloves from the stone mantle above the fireplace. Pulling them on, he turned to leave the room. Before he disappeared out the door, he turned back to face me, saying, "For her sake, Glorfindel, I sincerely hope she is of Círdan's people. We simply cannot afford the time to send messages inquiring after her anywhere else." He paused after this, then added, "And for goodness' sakes, get dressed!" And then he left, his blue mantle snapping behind his heels.
Taking Turgon's advice, I proceeded to my room to pack up the last of my things and changed into more suitable travel clothes. Clutching the small bundle of my remaining possessions that had not been moved in the earlier months, I made my way to the stables to saddle up my horse and take my place beside Turgon when his party left the city, which would be in just a few minutes if I was not mistaken. At the thought of this I quickened my pace.
The smell of horses rushed to my nostrils as I entered into the almost empty stables of Turgon's household. My white stallion nickered impatiently from his stall as I approached him. He was the last one left in the roomy stable, all the other horse having already been led away by their masters. Letting myself into the spacious stall and placing my things into the saddlebags, I quickly readied him for the long journey ahead. Then, mounting, I urged him into a fast canter out of the stables.
Turgon's party was just preparing to leave when I caught up with them at the city gates. Turgon gave me a small smile of relief when I pulled my horse to a walk beside his.
"And I was beginning to think you were not leaving with us, my friend." He joked lightly as the procession left the city behind us, winding its way onwards towards the distant mountains above the springs of Sirion.
I smiled at him, "Not a chance, my friend, you'll not be rid of me that easily." He chuckled quietly and we fell into a companionable silence as we continued our journey following the mountains of Nevrast to our left.
(Merlassë)
The first sound I heard was the gurgling of a stream as the waters tripped and fell over small stones on its way. Then I heard the sound of voices talking in the distance and I gave a quiet moan as I felt a sharp pain in my chest as I tried to take a breath. A dull pain throbbed in my head and I raised a hand to my temples.
I could not remember where I was.
Tentatively, I opened my eyes, which surprisingly took more effort than I can recall, my eyelids feeling extremely heavy all of a sudden. At first I could not see anything but blurred shapes and lines, but as my vision sharpened, I saw that I was lying in a enclosure of sorts created by a large length of heavy canvas draped over a few strategically placed wooden poles.
I tried to remember the word the Eldalië used to describe such a dwelling, but failed when I felt a wave of splitting pain in my head. I tried to sit up but collapsed again onto the soft padding I was laying on when my arms gave out beneath me. Gasping, I next tried to roll over onto my side but stop once again when the pain in my lungs sharpened. I was trying to figure out how I should sit up again without inflicting pain on myself when I heard a fluttering of the canvas and looked up to see a dark haired edhel enter the tent. Judging by the style of the clothing, I guessed that the being was a male.
Seeing me, his face broke into a look of obvious relief as he quickly made his way to the place where I lay. Motioning for me to lay still, he sat down on a seat made of piece of round wood resting on three supporting wooden legs at the side of the soft, raised padding I lay on, which I had not noticed before. What did they call it again? Oh yes, a stool, I believe, and the soft raised padding was a cot. Or was it a bed? The splitting pain in my head threatened to overcome me again and I stopped trying to remember. The dark-haired ellon was looking at me anxiously.
"How are you faring?" he asked, peering concernedly into my face.
I tried to speak but found my throat was hoarse and dry; I felt like someone had reach down my throat and clawed at it mercilessly. I opened my mouth but naught a sound came out. Attempting to wet my mouth and go through the process I vaguely remembered as being called 'swallowing', I tried once again and this time, managed to croak out the only word I knew in the tongues of the Quendi that described my condition.
"Horrible." I rasped.
The ellon laughed and went to a corner of the tent where he poured water from a porcelain holder into a small metal cup and held it out to me. I took the cup from his hand, feeling the coolness of the metal beneath the touch of my fingers and nodded my thanks. I looked curiously at the liquid in the cup. What was I suppose to do with it? Then realization hit me and I lifted the cup to my lips and drank. The water felt wonderfully smooth and cool in my throat and I suddenly found that I could speak again.
"Where am I?" I asked him, carefully choosing my words after I had finished the water and he had taken it from me, setting it down again on the small raised wooden platform he had taken it from. 'A table.' I thought hazily through the pain in my head.
"You are currently in the wilds of Beleriand, in the camp of Turgon son of Fingolfin, Lord of Nevrast." He replied, casually folding his hands into his lap. "We are heading towards our new city, which shall be our home from now on." I silently digested this piece of information as he watched my face carefully.
"You were found on the beaches of Nevrast some weeks ago, washed ashore on the sand." He continued when I made no comment. "We were afraid for your life, you were barely breathing."
The mention of the beach suddenly brought memories rushing back into my mind: the wrath of Ossë, the pounding waves, and then the faint memory of Uinen carrying me up towards the surface. I closed my eyes again at the flood of images in my mind and took a deep breath. I opened my eyes to see the dark-haired ellon watching me curiously. I studied his face closely. His hair was a deep chestnut color and his eyes were a cold slate blue. His features seemed singularly unique to me, but recalling the rest of the Quendi that I had observed in Aman, it was nothing significantly different in comparison. He continued watching me as I noted his appearance, a small smile on his lips.
"Word was sent to Círdan of the Falas concerning you, but their messengers sent reply back that there were no elven ships lost at sea in the last few months." He said, "My lord Turgon knows not where to send you, for if you come with us, you can not be allowed to leave our city." His eyes held a hint of regret when he said this. He looked expectantly at me, waiting for an answer, but I remained silent once again as I pondered the events of the last weeks, as I can remember them.
Lady Uinen must have left me on the shores, making sure that one of the people from the halls of the Noldor could find me and take care of me. I silently thanked her thoughtfulness and turned my thoughts to my last memories of that fateful night. All I could remember was darkness, and then a glimmer of light, warm sunshine on my skin and the glint of the sunlight on golden hair. Golden hair? Yes I definitely remember golden hair, but the ellon looking so anxiously at me right now had hair as dark as night. Who was the one that found me on the shores of the sea and brought me to safety?
I was pondering over this when the he spoke once again, "Do not strain to remember too much right now. You should get some rest. Other matters can be left for later."
I gave him a grateful smile and he rose up to go. Smiling kindly down at me once again, he turned to leave. However, when he reached the slit in the canvas serving as a sort of opening he hesitated and turned once again to face me.
"If you should need anything, ask the guards outside for me," He said, "They will come to find me. Ask for Lenwë." At this he smiled again and left the canvas enclosure.
I sighed and nuzzled the soft fabric of the small rectangular stuffed padding serving as a headrest on the low cot. This was certainly an interesting development indeed. Who would have thought I would now be living amongst the elder children of Ilúvatar? They had seemed not to suspect anything of my nature and took me truly to be one of their own kind. I decided that they must not know of my true identity. It would only be awkward for both parties. I did not need to be exalted as one of the kin of the Valar, I would rather live quietly amongst them and learn of their ways. Groaning once again at the pain in my forehead, I slowly drifted once more into blissful oblivion.
(Glorfindel)
I was going over the maps of our route through the wilds, sprawled over a table in my tent, when I heard someone enter. I looked up to see my friend Lenwë smiling at me from the entrance of the tent as I stood in my huddled position over the table. Giving him a weary smile in return, I greeted him as he sauntered over to my side, peering uninterestedly over my shoulder at the numerous lines and markings scrawled over a map of Northern Beleriand.
"Still going over your maps I see," He said, eyes glancing over the maps messily strewn over the table, "You should get some rest, we start early tomorrow at dawn." I impatiently waved away his concerns, muttering that I had yet much to do.
"You have not had proper rest for days, my lord Glorfindel," He said, "I do not think the King would like it when his chief counsellor falls off his horse from fatigue." His eyes twinkled with laughter and I gave a small chuckle.
"Do not worry Lenwë, I have no intention of giving you an excuse to give me a thorough checking over and detain me in that damnable infirmary of yours for several days – though I expect you'd like that very much." I replied, still chuckling, "I will sleep as soon as I am finished with these maps. I do intend to stay on my horse tomorrow."
Lenwë smiled at the jest, raising a dark eyebrow with a look that clearly indicated he would not put it past me to do such a thing. "Do get some rest Glorfindel–" and then cutting me off when I started to protest, "Though I know you will not, at least my conscience will be clear." He laughed at the indignant look on my face.
"I did not think I offended you so, mellon," I said curtly when his soft laughter subsided, "though it seems I have been offending a great number of people these past days – the King included." He laughed again.
"You are tired, Glorfindel." He said clapping a hand on my shoulder, "Which is all the more reason why you should get some rest. I say this on behalf of the whole of the company within earshot of you on the trek."
I scoffed. "I see you have the welfare of the company in mind quite well, Lenwë. I'd have you know the King has had no objections to the manner I order this company. I have kept us on track and on schedule for the last three weeks." I turned from him, picking up a map I had finished with from the table and rolling it up.
It was now Lenwë's turn to scoff. "The King, my lord Glorfindel," he said, whisking another heavily marked map off the table and giving it a brief glance, "puts up with you because he must. But I do not have to, therefore, I feel absolutely no guilt in coming here to tell you exactly what I think about you." I snatched the map from his hands and proceeded to roll it up with a glare. Lenwë smirked.
"I had no idea you harboured such ill feelings towards me, mellon." I replied, my tongue lingering over the word for a fraction of a second longer, "But I suppose I should be more careful in the future of the delicate feelings of the great healer of Nevrast." Lenwë only rolled his eyes in my direction as if I was the most immature elfling he had ever encountered.
"I will return on the morrow when hopefully you have risen above behaving with the grace of an orc." He said a mock dignified air, "or I shall have to drug you and stuff you in the back of the baggage carts to give us all a little peace." I opened my mouth in retort but he held up a hand.
"And do not mistake that for an empty threat, my friend, because I will do it." He said, his eyes dancing wickedly. I suddenly had the image of Lenwë drugging my wine with the heaviest sleeping potion he can brew and then depositing me gagged and bound in a pile on the floor of a baggage cart. This was exactly the sort of thing he would do, and no doubt the King would find it extremely amusing as well.
"You are incorrigible." I said dourly. "I know not why you seem to take so much joy from making me the laughingstock of the entire city."
"Ah, but I don't have to do anything Glorfindel." He replied, "You make enough of a fool of yourself on your own without my help. I simply – spread the word around a bit."
"You are a menace and an incurable gossip, Master Lenwë." I said, jabbing him on the arm with a rolled map, "Now leave me in peace and go beleaguer some other unfortunate person." My words served only to further the smirk now smeared all over his face as he took his leave of me
Just as he turned to leave the tent, he stopped and then added, "Oh, and the girl is awake. I went to see her just now, although she may be asleep again. She is still quite weak." His face was solemn as he said this, all traces of the earlier smirk gone from his face. I could see that he was worried about the elleth's condition. I nodded gravely at him, and bowing, he left, though before he disappeared behind the flaps of the tent I thought I caught a glimmer of his former smirk in his eye.
Trying to tidy the mess of maps on my table and failing miserably, I finally gave up in frustration and decided to take Lenwë's advice and get some sleep. As I ran my finger through my hair to loosen the braids, I thought about the elleth that I had rescued from the beaches of Nevrast three weeks ago, though it had seemed much longer. The image of her white face pricked my mind stirring up some forgotten memory. She looked so familiar, though I could not for the life of me figure out why. Sighing, I realized that I could get no rest this night until I visited her once again. Maybe then I can put her out of my mind and sleep.
I left the warm enclosure of my tent and stepped out into the cool night air, the stars twinkling reassuringly down. The air smelled of mossy earth and the mouldering of the fallen leaves on the ground, wet from the previous night's rain. It held the unmistakable tang of autumn in the air. The sound of the brook we had made camp by at nightfall murmured quietly in the background. The guards outside my tent snapped to attention when I passed and I absentmindedly wave at them to carry on with what they were doing.
I walked silently through the quiet camp lit by various campfires that I passed as I made my way to the tent near to the large tent of the 'infirmary' where Lenwë tended to the minor wounds and cuts caused by any accidents on the long march inland from the coast. I had visited it several times before to seek out my friend. I had also been to the elleth's tent several times to check up on her during our journey towards the Encircling Mountains.
Lenwë had decided that it'd be best if she was kept apart in her own tent so she could rest quietly free of disturbances, helping to speed her recovery. I appreciated my friend's shrewd decision for each time I visited her, she looked a good deal less pale and a bit more color came back into her pallid face. This time, as I entered the darkened tent, I saw that her face had considerable color back in it, though it was still pale and white. I silently gazed on her tranquil face as she peacefully slept.
I sat down at the side of the bed looking down into her delicate face. Unconsciously, I raised my hand to trace the tantalizing lines of her face, ending in a subtly pointed chin and an expanse of milky white throat. I had almost memorized the lines of her face from the hours of sitting by her bedside cooling her fevered brow with a damp cloth. I know not why I spent so much time by her bedside, for in truth Lenwë took great pains for her health and I knew she was in good hands. But I could not shake off the feeling I had seen her somewhere before, though the memory still alluded me. Perhaps I sought some answer to the jumble of undistinguishable feelings I had whenever I looked upon her face. Whenever I looked upon her, I felt that I was somehow responsible for her well-being and it was my task to care for her as well as I can, and that somehow, she had been placed under my protection…
She stirred in her sleep and I quickly withdrew my hand. Wary of disturbing her slumber, I rose to leave. The sound of my rustling robes must have awakened her for then her eyes flickered open suddenly and I found myself staring into eyes of the lightest blue, or maybe it was grey, though in the dim light I could not distinguish which it was. For a moment, all I could do was look into those piercing eyes which seem to shine in the moonlight that shone in from the open tent flaps. But though the light of the Rana reflected in those eyes of light, light blue, there flickered another light, brighter than any light of the stars, which seemingly emitted from her very soul.
I know where I had seen those eyes before.
But no sooner than I saw the flicker of radiance within those watery pupils then it was veiled. She only looked at me curiously, trying to raise herself off her small cot. I went to her side again and gently pushed her back down.
"I am sorry I disturbed your rest lady, please do try to sleep, you are not well." I said softly, as she rested on the cot again.
"I can sleep no more," she replied, "I have been sleeping for the whole of three weeks now, as the ellon who came to tend to me told me. Lenwë was his name." Her voice was soft and she spoke slowly as if she was uncertain of the words she spoke. There was a lilt in her tone that was odd, but strangely musical.
"You were very weak when you were found. It was the healer Lenwë who nursed you back to some semblance of health, but you are not healed yet milady." I told her. She only watched me quietly with her piercing eyes.
I took a deep breath, "My lady, I seemed to have seen you somewhere before, might I inquire your name?"
"I must confess, I don't recall ever having seen you before," she replied, though I detected a hint of hesitancy in her voice, "but I am called…Linneniel."
"Maiden of the watersong." I said softly. I looked at her and smiled, "You remind me of someone I met a long time ago." I watched her closely for her reaction, but her face was cool and serene as a mask and her eyes were veiled.
"Oh?" She said, giving me an inquisitive smile, "Do I indeed?"
"Yes, but it was a long time ago…" I said, though an inkling of a doubt still gnawed at my mind, "Forgive me, I must have mistaken you for her."
"It is of no concern." She said, smiling faintly.
"May I ask where you hail from milady?" I asked, hoping to dispel the abundance of silent questions that had been pestering me incessantly throughout the weeks.
"I…." she started, then trailed off. When she spoke again her words were slow and measured, "I fear I cannot quite remember. I have no recollection of what happened before now, nor why I came to be on the shore. I cannot remember anything at all…" At this she frowned.
"Please, do not overtax yourself on my account." I said, afraid I had pushed the limit of her strength. "The time may come when the memories will return, but they will come on their own account. Trying too hard to remember will only tire you."
At this she only smiled, shaking her head. "Perhaps it is not a question of memory…" she whispered softly to no one in particular, so quietly that I almost did not hear her. "but rather… the answer to such a question."
"My lady?" I asked her as she drifted off into silence from her curious remark. When she did not reply, I continued, "You should rest now, we start early in the morning. Lenwë has arranged for you to ride on a cart the days before, but if you feel up to it, I can find a horse for you."
She looked up at me, "As much as I would like otherwise, I do not think I can ride, I am not even well enough to sit up in bed."
She gave me a weak smile. I looked worriedly down at her, reaching out a hand to brush away a strand of dark hair which had fallen over her fair face while we had been speaking.
"Then rest, milady. You will not heal if you do not rest." I said urging her. She shifted tentatively on the cot, as if moving pained her greatly. She sighed and closed her eyes for a brief movement as a flash of pain washed over her features.
"Milady, are you quite well?" I asked in alarm, "Should I go seek Lenwë for you?"
Her eyes flickered open again and I can see they were dulled with pain.
"No, no I shall be fine edhel!" she said rather sharply, hissing in pain as she drew breath.
"Milady you are unwell!" I said, trying to keep the panic from my voice. I had no great talent at healing and knew if any ill should befall her here, I would be utterly helpless to prevent it.
"Do not try to move again," I said as calmly as I could bring myself to speak, "I shall go fetch Lenwë."
Moving quickly out of the tent with an anxious glance back at her pained face, I sped to the infirmary tent close by and whipped open the tent flaps. A very surprised Lenwë looked up at me from where he was pouring over a thick tome (about herbal medicines by the looks of it) by candlelight on the wide table.
"What is it?" He asked quickly, standing immediately, seeing the look of distress that was no doubt evident on my face.
"The lady seems to be in great pain." I said, calming my anxious tone as well as I can, "Can you not give her something to ease it mellon nin?"
Lenwë frowned and moved immediately to the small wooden cabinet with many drawers that rested on a table nearby. He pulled several of them open expertly and pinching bits of their ingredients into a bowl, speaking as he worked.
"She seemed to be quite well, if not a bit weary, when we spoke earlier," He said, "So I did not think to give her something to dull her pain. But I should have known better, swallowing large amounts of seawater can be quite painful, not to mention I suspect she was under for far too long."
I paced the length of the tent as I watched him crush the dried herbs into powder and added a small amount of water, stirring it in. I moved to the entrance of the tent as he gestured for us to go and we walked quickly back to the small tent where she rested. Entering into the tent, I saw in relief that her face, which had been contorted in pain moments before I left the tent, looked a bit calmer and more collected, though her eyes were still glassy. Lenwë moved nimbly to her side and carefully helped her sit up, though she still gasped in pain at the effort.
"Milady, this will help ease the pain." He said, raising the bowl to her lips. After a moment's falter, she drank from the bowl which he tilted to her lips, a few drops running down the side of her mouth. Lenwë produced a cloth from somewhere beside her cot and carefully wiped the droplets away from her pale lips. That moment, I felt an inexplicable irritation at my friend, though I knew not why. But as quickly as the moment came, so it went and I felt relief wash over me when I saw the pain ease from her eyes and she lay back down again with Lenwë's help.
"Rest now, milady." He said gently, tucking the blankets in around her, "You cannot afford to make any more sudden movements." He smiled kindly at her, a gesture which she returned, and I felt the prick of irritation flashing across my mind again. Then Lenwë rose and silently motioned me to follow him out of the tent.
"I will stay with her tonight," He said quietly, when we moved once again out into the cool night air, "She may need the medicine yet again before dawn, and I do not trust her in such a condition."
I could only nod reluctantly, that inexplicable irritation pricking me again for the third time tonight. Lenwë, oblivious to my sentiments towards him, continued, "Go and rest Glorfindel, you do not look so well yourself." Then sensing my hesitation, he went on, his voice a bit softer this time, "Do not worry, I shall take care of her, my friend." He placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I smiled wearily at him.
"I do not doubt you will Lenwë." I said. Then, giving him another brief smile, I started back in the direction of my tent as I heard him slip quietly back into the elleth's tent.
The pricking annoyance at my friend did not cease to pester me all the way back to my awnings raised near the King's main tent. As I lay on the soft cot in the darkness of my tent, I still could not shake off the feeling that I should be the one to comfort her this night. Shaking myself of the ridiculous thought, I slowly drifted off into sleep, chastising myself to relax and let Lenwë fulfill his duties as a healer. 'After all', I thought just before I slipped into dreams, 'what could I possibly do to help her if she woke in pain in the middle of the night?'
'But still…' whispered a voice, 'you should be there to hold her…'
'You should be there to hold her…'
I apologize for the late update, this chapter should have been up sooner, but I had to rewrite quite a bit of it since the character of Lenwë was previously Aredhel and some tweaking was in order. However, it has been the longest chapter so far so I hope it compensates. Again, the same words, read and review. I like to hear your opinions. A big thank you to all you guys who did review with lovely, encouraging comments, and also to all those who added this story to their favourites/alert list. You guys made my day.